10 Micron GM1000 HPS with 6" APO for AP?

I'm in the market for new mount which will be used exclusively for AP in combination with 6" APO, total weight with cameras and other stuff would be <20kg, probably somewhere around 18kg. My money limit is around 7500 euro so this looks like a good choice.

Since mount capacity is 25 kg (of photographic equipment I believe), is it likely that I would have problems routinely achieving 30min guided subs @ 750-1000mm FL? Anyone have some experience with this mount?

30 minutes guided should be no problem. I do 20-30 minutes guided all the time with my Mach1 which is a comparable mount. Heck I could even do 20 minutes UN guided at 700mm (very good polar alignment required, < 5').

It's a scandal that the Mach1 costs even more than the 10Micron over there! that's $9400 equivalent.

I'm going to be bringing one of these back from NEAF with me and will start playing with it when I have the chance. Ideally, mounts like these (i.e., high end mounts) should be much more capable of handling loads closer to their rated capacities than most of the mass-produced mounts so you should be OK. But I always have to wonder why anyone would bother with unguided imaging.

To be honest, it looks kinda small to me. Although I'm aware that this feeling is not based on facts, I really need to be sure that it can handle 6" refractor without problems and produce very long subs, I can't throw 7500+ euro just like that. Very good thing is that manufacturer is near (Italy).

I have a GM1000HPS and a GM2000HPS and they're both excellent mounts. I have never guided them...

The tricky part about going unguided is that you need to get the models right. Getting the right involves a system without random flexure. It can model a nice mirror flop or focuser slack that happens at the same point repeatedly, but no model builder in the world can handle random flexure.

Once you get your telescope and pier in proper order you will get half-hour subs unguided at 1500mm FL from these babies.

A suggestion would be to buy from Baader Planetarium as they handle the support for 10Micron. You also need a good driver (ASCOM) and some software to build the model. I have written an ASCOM driver that has the ability to work in J2000 (which 10Micron's can't in its present incarnation) and a model maker that builds a model fully automated in about 10-20 minutes. The model is kept in-mount so you do not need a PC once it is done.

Per,Can we pan manually while the motor keeps tracking? Can the clutches adjust friction for that purpose?I value the feature of being able to move the scope manually (with adjustable friction) and not loose alignment. Also without the need to keep locking and unlocking the clutches. Just push to move while keeping aligment, like Discmounts for example. Only in this case I would have tracking as well.

Since you have a semi fixed set up, you can acheive a very good polar alignment using pempro. Pempro will also be very usefull to programm the PEC (it mesures and program the mount through the serial link). The remaining PE is about 1". So you can guid very wellAt my side, I am using the AP900 with a 6" and other refractors, up to 70lbs. Using PHD guiding, I could guide at 0.2" RMS for 10min sub. I did not run 30min sub yet, but should not be a problem, only a matter of polar alignment, and pempro helps a lot for that, especially with AP mount.

I am trying to decide between a 1000HPS and Mach1, but not easy at all.They both have the same price here in EU.Following specs, they have about the same capacity.The 1000HPS has absolute encoders, Ethernet and all enclosed cables.The Mach1has no encoders, no ethernet and has semi-external cables.HOWEVER, the 1000HPS weights the same as the AP1100. And weight is very important to me.So, the 1000HPS has the capacity of the Mach1 but weights the same as the AP1100. Unless 10Micron is even more conservative than AP about capacity.

So I have to choose, weight or encoders.1000HPS seems a much better design in everything except weight, but weight is so important…One minute I think I can not miss all the free 1000HPS features. One minute later I think it may be too heavy for me.

Just for sake of 'sayin so', I've used my TEC APO160ED (both at native f/8 and reduced with A-P rig in the focuser to f/6.x) + a piggyback 80mm guidescope on the A-P Mach1 GTO with no problems doing long NB exposures night after night, though I was guiding. Here is a link to one of the images. there are more on that site as well, I think it's important that if I make the claim I have imagry to support it - just don't hold my processing against me?

Yes, I think being 'permanent pier mounted' makes a heck of a difference too. here is a pick, the Mach1 looks almost comically small but it does the deed!

Per,
Can we pan manually while the motor keeps tracking? Can the clutches adjust friction for that purpose?
I value the feature of being able to move the scope manually (with adjustable friction) and not loose alignment. Also without the need to keep locking and unlocking the clutches. Just push to move while keeping aligment, like Discmounts for example. Only in this case I would have tracking as well.